Diary of a Running Mom: trail run

Monday, January 14, 2013

That's not what supposed to happen!


my "before" shot- was planning a muddy "after" shot	. Note my cute little left ankle

So I had a fabulous week last week with running. My IT band has decided to cooperate and I ran 13 miles with in the week 2 five milers and a quick 3.1 on the treadmill. I was feeling great, so on Saturday the local running club (which I just joined finally) was having an 8 mile trail run- the weather was going to be in the 60s in January in OHIO. It was going to be muddy and fun. My running partner couldn't make it, and it was going to be in the woods so I didn't ask my dh if he wanted to go- since the boys wouldn't be able to see anything. I figured I was just going to run this for fun, I haven't run 8 since Indianapolis so it was just going to be a workout.

OF COURSE, that didn't happen. The first part was going well, muddy, puddles, narrow trails exactly what I wanted. Then it all fell apart.

I was heading down a narrow path on a hill, it was really muddy so there were roots that were kind of packed down and made for good steps down. At the bottom of the hill was a small ravine with a bridge over it. On the last "root step" I stepped, slid, rolled my ankle, heard a pop/crack and wiped out. I landed on my hands and saved my face, but I didn't care about that at all, since my ANKLE was in so much pain, immediately it was swelling (crazily fast). I said every swear word in the book. I knew it was bad. I'd take natural child birth again to that pain.

Everyone behind me stopped since I was blocking the bridge, but 2 guys helped me up and got me over to the side- other runners ran ahead to get help. After the initial pain, it stopped hurting too much and just kept swelling. One of the guys that was with me found a y shaped stick that I used to prop my foot up while we waited for help. We talked about the Air Force marathon and various races and running groups in the area, anything, to help me take my mind of my now grapefruit sized ankle. Runners kept coming by and asking if I needed any help, then commented on how it was swollen and bruising. I texted dh to come to the race to pick me up.

The race director showed up pretty quickly and told us where they could carry me to get me to a car. So Randy and Steve (my heroes) carried me up a muddy hill and across a huge field to a back parking lot of a nursing home and the race director picked me up in his car. By then, the pain had returned, since it wasn't elevated. The race director had the paramedics check me out at the elementary school to make sure I was ok. They wrapped up an ice pack on my ankle and cleaned out my skinned knee (hadn't realized that until then).

My dh showed up and we headed to the emergency room. I just got my flu shot last week, so when we showed up and a about 3 people have face masks on- i got super paranoid. Yuck- I don't need the flu on top of this.

Hours later... I got my diagnosis. FRACTURED FIBULA- but what it really was, as the ER Dr. explained, "Your ligament ripped off the bone and took a bit of the bone with it". Gross. Really gross. She explained that it would be treated like a severe sprain. 6 weeks before I'd be able to run again. So I was given a lovely Air Cast and crutches and instructions on calling an orthopedist on Monday.

Getting ready to leave ER. Love the sock- traction on both sides, but it keeps the toes warm so I'm still sporting it.

Nurse Chester

Since then, I've been on the couch with my foot up and taking various lovely pictures of my ankle as it grows and gets more colorful. My cat, Chester, has been watching over me. Sleeping next to me, yet not on my lap like normal.    I have found that my foot doesn't hurt, but my chest and arms are so sore. I think it was the combination of falling and catching myself and holding/supporting myself on the hike out of the woods. Plus, to insult to injury- since I skinned my knee I had to get a tetanus shot. So 2 days after, I can hardly lift my body off the crutches to move. So tomorrow is my Dr appt. to see what the real damage is.

Anyone, dealt with a severe sprain? I've been googling it like crazy. I'm going to have to just wait to see what ligament isn't attached and if I messed up the others.   I'm also going to have to figure out what I can do to stay in shape. Hmmm, core, arms, swimming? I guess more Qs for the Dr.

So, my goal of running 13 13.1s in 2013 has been delayed- but the contest is still on!

Ready for some yucky pictures?   Don't scroll down if you don't. Lucky for you, I had ice on my ankle at the hospital otherwise you'd see a grapefruit under someone's skin.